SmartTrap: automated precision experiments with optical tweezers.

Authors

Martin Selin, Antonio Ciarlo, Giuseppe Pesce, Lars Bengtsson, Joan Camunas-Soler, Vinoth Sundar Rajan, Fredrik Westerlund, L Marcus Wilhelmsson, Isabel Pastor, Felix Ritort, Steven B Smith, Carlos Bustamante, Giovanni Volpe

Published in

Nature methods. Jun 18, 2026. Epub Jun 18, 2026.

Abstract

Optical tweezers are widely used in single-molecule biophysics, cell biomechanics and soft matter physics, but require a human operator, limiting throughput and repeatability. Here we present a smart optical tweezers platform, named SmartTrap, capable of performing complex experiments autonomously by integrating real-time three-dimensional particle tracking, custom electronics and a microfluidics system. Through a series of experiments, we demonstrate it can operate continuously, acquiring high-precision data over extended periods of time. By bridging the gap between manual experimentation and autonomous operation, SmartTrap establishes a robust and open-source framework for the next generation of optical tweezers research, capable of performing large-scale studies in single-molecule biophysics, cell mechanics and colloidal science with minimal experimental overhead and operator bias.

PMID:
42315729
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 19 Jun 2026.

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